Frye gets chance to check out his former backup on Browns

Wednesday

Oct 31, 2007 at 12:01 AMOct 31, 2007 at 5:08 PM

Seattle's Charlie Frye meets Browns' Derek Anderson -- again.

Steve Doerschuk

Charlie Frye returns Sunday.
Derek Anderson is getting schmoozed by “Mooch” on TV nation.
Who knew the Seattle-at-Cleveland quarterback story would play out like this?
Fifty-three days after starting for the Browns against Pittsburgh, Frye enters his seventh game as a Seattle backup.
Fifty-one days after Frye was traded, Anderson has won four of six starts and ranks sixth in the NFL with a 95.5 passer rating.
Steve Mariucci went a little crazy over Frye’s replacement on NFL Network.
“All of sudden,” the former 49ers and Lions head coach said this week, “this guy named Anderson from Oregon State has the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL. They need to keep Derek Anderson, sign him long term and have two good young quarterbacks.”
What happens with Round 1 pick Brady Quinn if Anderson stays on the rise?
“An interesting dilemma,” Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren said.
Did Anderson ever stop to think that it could have been him traded to Seattle?
“Could,” Anderson said. “Didn’t.”
Frye declined a conference-call invitation with media covering the Browns. Anderson touched on some key points before Wednesday’s practice.
Issue: Frye started three preseason games and the season opener, giving him a serious look at Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s playbook. Now, he’s telling the Seahawks all about it.
Anderson: I’m sure there are some things he can help them out with, but we’ve evolved a little bit since he’s been gone. We’ve changed a few things. They don’t know what play is coming.
Issue: Anderson was sacked six times in three road games. The Browns are back home, where he has been sacked just twice in four games. Frye was sacked five times in two quarters with the Browns before the trade.
Anderson: The protection has been good. We’ve been able top give things a little longer look than probably we have in the past.
Issue: Anderson will operate against a Seattle defense that has 23 sacks, more than three times as many as Cleveland’s defense has mustered.
Anderson: I’ve got to be smart, get the ball of out my hands ... know they’re coming. Their front four gets a lot better push than the teams we’ve played.
Issue: Anderson grew up in Scappoose, Ore., near Portland, on the outskirts of Seattle Seahawks country.
Anderson: I wasn’t a huge football fan when I was little. I watched the Seahawks a little bit. My dad had a Steve Largent poster or something. I actually had a Bengals helmet when I was little. I don’t know how I got it.
Issue: Anderson threw five interceptions during his first four games and three at New England. In two games since, he hasn’t thrown a pick.
Anderson: It’s making good decisions, and guys are making plays ... letting things kind of come to me.
Issue: With 17 touchdown passes, Anderson has four more than the Colts’ Peyton Manning.
Anderson: We don’t have as many wins as they do, so it doesn’t mean anything.
Issue: Joe Jurevicius trails only Derrick Mason and Antonio Gates in third-down catches with 15.
Anderson: Joe made some huge plays for us. Teams understand we’re not just gonna throw it to Braylon (Edwards) and Kellen (Winslow) every play. That makes them defend on top.
Reach Canton Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com.